I remember this study when it came out. The article unJon links to, however, seems to suggest that all people swear about the same but that intelligent people simply swear in a more appropriate and articulate manner. For example, consider Rhett Butler's famous line of "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." (It was somewhat controversial in 1939.) You could water down "damn" into "darn" but this would lower the emotional intensity far too much for such a critical scene. On the other hand, if you crank up the intensity by using the s-word, it becomes a distracting overkill of vulgarity. So "damn" is selected as the perfect word for the situation.

I'm unsure of the (site) legalities for posting this, but it reminds of the comedy sequence "Shoot" by George Carlin in which he discusses the uses of the s-word beginning with how he was fired in Vegas for saying it.

The article also discusses how the use of swear words while experiencing physical pain (such as women during childbirth) actually reduces the amount of pain felt. The mysteries of the human mind.

So you can watch simulated violence or even real, but can't tolerate swear words?

Explain if this applies to you. Addressed to anyone.

I am fine reading books, watching violent movies (as long as it is not just senseless violence -IE just over the top violence for shock or morbid factors-). I am also fine with swear words in books and movies.

However, when you are speaking directly and use swear words for just everyday use, it is just not classy. Its like I bet if you worked somewhere and one of your coworkers mixed swear words into every sentence, you would have a lower opinion of them.

For example if I am watching a historic war movie filled with violence and swearing, that is understandable. But, if I then walk into my office and somebody is swearing constantly, it would lower my opinion of them.

It is all about context. There is no reason to swear on a message board because it just is not classy, it means you spent extra time typing out a needless word just to make a point more resonating (which is usually done in a way to insult somebody, either directly or indirectly).

Again its all about context, if we were playing poker and you said a swear word after a cooler, I would think "well that is a natural reaction", but if you were sitting at the table swearing in every casual sentence, I would think, "this person needs to learn manners"....

Context and usage is everything. There is almost no proper context to use a swear word on a message board, and nobody should experience a natural reaction that would cause them to type out a swear word without realizing it.....

Context and usage is everything. There is almost no proper context to use a swear word on a message board...

That last sentence is funny to me. There's been plenty of times swear words were the only words strong enough to convey the message the recipient should hear in order to get the exact context. No substitutes would do.

That last sentence is funny to me. There's been plenty of times swear words were the only words strong enough to convey the message the recipient should hear in order to get the exact context. No substitutes would do.

Then you need to learn more vocabulary and sentence structure. It is hard to believe a person cannot get their point across on a forum without cussing.